1990 French motorcycle Grand Prix

  1990 French Grand Prix

Race details
Race 10 of 15 races in the 1990 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
Date	22 July 1990
Location	Le Mans
Course	Permanent racing facility 7.004 km (4.352 mi)
500 cc
Pole position
Rider	Kevin Schwantz
Time	1:40.755
Fastest lap
Rider	Kevin Schwantz
Time	1:41.953
Podium
First	Kevin Schwantz
Second	Wayne Gardner
Third	Wayne Rainey
250 cc
Pole position
Rider	Carlos Cardús
Time	1:45.055
Fastest lap
Rider	John Kocinski
Time	1:46.030
Podium
First	Carlos Cardús
Second	Luca Cadalora
Third	Loris Reggiani
125 cc
Pole position
Rider	Doriano Romboni
Time	1:53.688
Fastest lap
Rider	Doriano Romboni
Time	1:54.006
Podium
First	Hans Spaan
Second	Doriano Romboni
Third	Stefan Prein

The 1990 French motorcycle Grand Prix was the tenth round of the 1990 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 20–22 July 1990 at the Bugatti Circuit located in Le Mans.

500 cc race report

Kevin Schwantz on pole and race day is hot and sunny.

Wayne Rainey wheelies halfway down the straight, giving the first turn to Wayne Gardner, then it’s Mick Doohan in third place.

Gardner goes very wide on a turn and has to sit up, letting Rainey through and when he gets back on the racing line, he forces Doohan wide as well.

It’s still a tight race at the front between Rainey, Gardner, Schwantz, Doohan, Eddie Lawson and Christian Sarron.

Gardner takes Rainey on the straight, and in the same place Gardner went wide, Rainey goes a little off-line too, this time letting Schwantz through into second.

At La Chapelle Gardner goes wide again, and Schwantz takes the lead easily.

By the last lap, Schwantz has a good gap in first, followed by Gardner and Rainey.

500 cc classification

Pos	Rider	Manufacturer	Time/Retired	Points
1	Kevin Schwantz	Suzuki	48:05.213	20
2	Wayne Gardner	Honda	+2.420	17
3	Wayne Rainey	Yamaha	+3.333	15
4	Mick Doohan	Honda	+4.865	13
5	Eddie Lawson	Yamaha	+10.157	11
6	Niall Mackenzie	Suzuki	+20.480	10
7	Randy Mamola	Cagiva	+1:18.898	9
8	Juan Garriga	Yamaha	+1:30.771	8
9	Marco Papa	Honda	+1:41.299	7
10	Ron Haslam	Cagiva	+1 Lap	6
11	Eddie Laycock	Honda	+1 Lap	5
12	Cees Doorakkers	Honda	+1 Lap	4
Ret	Jean Philippe Ruggia	Yamaha	Retirement
Ret	Christian Sarron	Yamaha	Retirement
Ret	Karl Truchsess	Honda	Retirement
Ret	Rachel Nicotte	Chevallier Yamaha	Retirement
Ret	Vittorio Scatola	Paton	Retirement
Ret	M. Troesch	Honda	Retirement
Ret	Alex Barros	Cagiva	Retirement